OMG. Where do I even begin?
Deep breaths, Darling. I know… it can be SO overwhelming. Start here with my beginner’s guide to clean beauty</a> before tossing everything into the trash! And, remember… if I can do it, YOU can do it.
What ingredients should I avoid?
I’ll keep it real…. There are A LOT of them! Get all the deets on this quick + dirty, little cheat sheet of pretty toxic ingredients hiding in your beauty products.</a> I update it regularly, as new research comes out.
I looked up a product on Skin Deep, Think Dirty, etc. + it scores a ______.
Luckily, there are so many more resources out there now, than there were when I started blogging. However, as FAB as these tools + apps are – they can be super-confusing! The problem is that products + ingredients can score incorrectly – as either a really high hazard, or a really low hazard, when they shouldn’t necessarily. This happens because the databases tallying up the scores may not use common sense like an actual person would, or may not account for variables – like, how the ingredients will be used, how the studies are done (ingested, injected, inhaled, applied topically) etc. So, while the tools are available, we’re just not there yet. These days, I only use these tools + apps to look up individual ingredients, not products. And I only recommend them as as a guide for beginners – not necessarily the end all, be all. Check out my list of pretty toxic ingredients for more in-depth info on the subject.</br>
I need help finding products, STAT. Can you help me?
While I don’t always have time for a makeover, shoot me an email, or find me on Social Media. In the meantime, you can find specific products under “Reviews” (on the menu above), where you’ll see a dropdown menu, broken down by product category. Or, you can use the search bar (at the top of the site) + type in what you’re looking for.
Best places to find clean beauty products?
I wish I could say I grabbed most of my beauty products off a store shelf near me (someday!), but I’ll be honest… there aren’t that many clean options where I live – other than a few stores like Whole Foods Market, Target, etc. So… I buy most of my beauty products online – where there are bigger, better + more competitive selections. Here’s where I shop for natural + organic beauty products online!
What are you using now + which products are your FAVES?
This is a toughie, as I’m continuously trying new things to write about! Rough life, I know – but somebody’s gotta do it. #beautybloggerprobs, haha. The best way to find out what I’m currently into is to follow me on Social Media. Or, you can find my Love Lists here, + my absolute, all-time FAVES here!
What are some of your Toxic Old Flames?
Oh Gawd, this list could go on forever! I can’t even remember most of them, but if there was a new product out… I tried it! #beautyaddict much? Makeup – MAC everything, Loreal, Bonne Bell Lip Glosses, Almay Liquid Eyeliner. Skincare – Origins, Neutrogena, Philosophy, Proactiv, Bodycare – Victora’s Secret, Origins, Degree Antiperspirant, Loreal Sunless Tanner, Tanning Salon Beds. Hair Care – Pantene Shampoo + Conditioner, VO5 Hair Spray, Citre Shine, BedHead, Paul Mitchell, John Freida, Sunsilk, Loreal Ferria Hair Color. Nails – Revlon, Loreal, Sally Hansen – for years I had pink + white tip acrylics, done in a salon. Perfume – Victoria’s Secret, Bath + Body Works, Christian Dior, Fendi, Lolita Lempika.
What’s your hair + skin type?
Skin Type – Mostly balanced / barely combo (slightly dry cheeks + slightly oily T-zone). Hormonal acne. Starting to get little crow’s feet + fine lines. Yikes! Complexion – Warm, light / medium olive, with yellow / neutral undertones. Hair Color – Dark brown with reddish tones. Hair Type – Long. Naturally curly / frizzy, with slightly dry ends.
What product colors + finishes do you prefer?
Foundation – Liquid, creme + pressed powders. Finishes: full coverage + matte. I’m not a fan of loose powders for several reasons; while they usually have less ingredients (which is fab!), 1. they’re messy, 2. way easier to inhale (harmful if that happens!), 3. usually too drying + give you “powder-face”, 4. you loose a lot of product when applying + 5. are just all around inconvenient! (FYI, if you see any loose powders on here, it’s because I wasn’t able to find a pressed counterpart that worked as well as I’d hoped – or I plan to press it myself!). Concealer – Cream or liquid. Usually yellow / salmon based. I have yet to fond a powder concealer that does anything for me on it’s own. Eyeshadow – Pressed powder. Colors: all + any! Finishes: Highly pigmented mattes + pearls. No sheers + surprisingly, no glitters / pixie dust, unless they’re super-fine. Hard to come by in naturals though. Blush – Pressed powder. Cremes + tints are pretty, but I have a hard time with the creams going over powder, + I forget to apply it before. Colors: Mauves, peaches. Finishes: mostly matte, but I’ll play around with a shimmer / hi-lighter here + there. Eyeliner – Always liquid on the top + pressed powder (sometimes wet!) with an angled brush on the bottom. Smudged. Colors: black liquid. I play around with lots of colors on my bottom lid though. Nails – Colors: Reds, Pinks, Whites, Burgundies + Plums. Finishes: Cremes, Foils, Metallics, Duo-chromes + Frosts. Not a fan of sheers. Perfume + Scented Products – Fruity, sweet, girly, + candy-like. Not Into: lavender, bergamot, patchouli, smokey, woodsy or any other hippie-type scents.
How long have you been blogging + how did you get started?
I began blogging in 2010 as a way to keep my health in-check when it came to using better beauty products after an unexpected Breast Cancer diagnosis in my early 30’s. Realizing my life couldn’t go on the way it was – I threw in the towel on a 15 year career as a professional figure skater + coach, + was ready to pursue my other passion – makeup. My dream job had been to work for my fave makeup company, MAC. But… that went out the window as soon as I realized that the ingredients in their products (as well as many of my other fave brands!) could actually be contributing to the cause. At the time, there weren’t really any clean beauty blogs + I couldn’t find any healthy beauty products that worked the way I wanted them to. So, I began obsessing over ingredient labels + writing about my experiences here – where I knew I’d have to rat myself out if I ‘relapsed’ with toxic beauty products. And… the rest is Glamorganic history!
Advice for new bloggers?
An original is always worth more than a copy! Be yourself! Creating a space where you can bring your ideas to life online can be incredibly fulfilling – but not if you’re imitating someone else. It’s definitely not flattering, especially if you want to be a respected part of the clean beauty or blogging communities. They’ll eventually find out + it will piss them off! Plus, stealing causes frown-lines, + who wants that?! I’ll be honest – it takes a lot of hard work + dedication, as well as an insane amount of trial + error to have a decent blog that people come back to read. A lot! So, dig deep. Find your own voice, personal vision + unique writing style, + go for it! At the end of the day… that’s what your readers value most… + will absolutely come to expect from you!
Hope this helps! Incase there’s anything else you wanna to know – just email me, here!